Addressing a program of the National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi on Saturday, Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana expressed concern over the condition of the media in the country.
He has said that many media institutions of the country are running ‘Kangaroo Courts… Even experienced judges are facing difficulties in taking decisions.
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Addressing the program, CJI NV Ramana said, “Ill-informed and agenda-driven debates on issues involving justice delivery are proving to be detrimental to the health of democracy. Biased views being propagated by media are affecting the people, weakening democracy, and harming the system. In this process, justice delivery gets adversely affected.”
He added that the media was taking democracy backwards by overstepping and breaching their responsibilities. “Print media still has certain degree of accountability. Whereas, electronic media has zero accountability as what it shows vanishes into thin year. Still worse is social media,” the CJI said.
Speaking about the increase in physical attacks on judges, CJI Ramana asserted that while politicians, bureaucrats, police officers and other public representatives were often provided with security even after their retirement owing to the sensitiveness of their jobs, “ironically, judges are not extended similar protection”.
Along with this, the CJI also expressed his opinion regarding the election from the pending cases for hearing. He said that judges cannot turn their eyes away from social reality. Critical matters have to be prioritized to protect the system from further overloads and collisions.